Athletic Results from Friday, January 21

Eighth grade girls’ basketball team lost a heartbreaker to Lake Norman Charter 31-28. We definitely beat ourselves with too many turnovers but we know when we meet them again in the tournament the outcome will be different. Anna, Caitlin, Taylor, Scottie and Kendall played the majority of the game and put in a great effort. Our supporting players are the ones that make this team a great team. They come in to play when asked and are enthusiastic about the game no matter what. Our last game of the season is Tuesday and we plan to finish up on a positive note.

The 8th grade boys’ basketball team lost Friday evening to Lake Norman Charter, 64-41. Danny Brenner led the team in scoring with 12 points.

The boys JV basketball team traveled to Metrolina Christian Friday night and ended their losing skid with a 56-41 win. Cannon played some of their best ball in the first half while jumping out to a 17 point lead and maintained it throughout the second half to come out victorious. Point guards Lucas Anderson and Myles Grier paced the Cougars with 11 points apiece. Long-range specialist Ryan Marks was 3 for 3 from deep and finished with 10 points. Grant Gossage, Blake Brewer, and Eric Fromke handled the boards, combining for 18 rebounds. The boys face two important conference games this week, Tuesday at Charlotte Country Day and Friday at home versus Charlotte Latin.

The Lady Cougars basketball team traveled to Metrolina Christian School and rebounded from the loss at Providence Day School earlier in the week winning 67-30. Despite the absence of Julie Harriss (injury), and Leah Baker and Iliana Ragnone (under the weather) the Lady Cougars came out with great chemistry and led at quarters end 16-7. The second quarter ended with an offensive explosion by Emma Virtanen and Chantal Neuwald as Cannon led at the half 35-17. Offense was not the only key to victory on this night as the Lady Cougars defense forced Metrolina Christian into 31 turnovers and 30% field goal percentage. Strong efforts were made by Anna Estep, Mackenzie Moyer and Olivia Osborne on both ends of the court as Cannon accumulated 17 assists and 17 steals. Emma Virtanen led the Lady Cougars with 24 pts, Chantal Neuwald added 18. Mackenzie Moyer and Olivia Osborne had 6 pts, Anna Estep 4 pts, Madison Miller 3 pts, Taylor Bunten, Haley Foreman and Reed Harmon added 2 pts.

Cannon’s varsity boys basketball team fought through a dismal shooting performance for the first three quarters and came up with a defensive stop on the last possession of the game to register a win on Friday over the Warriors of Metrolina Christian, 50-48. Metrolina Christian was aided by the return of their sensational PG Calvin Davis. Davis had been hampered by injury in the Warrior’s two previous games, but on Friday he would shred the Cannon defense for 27 points and would single-handedly keep his team in the game. Overall, it was simply a struggle for Cannon. The team was riding high after a road win at Providence Day on Tuesday and had followed that up with two outstanding practices on Wednesday and Thursday. However, something was simply missing on Friday night. The team’s defensive efforts were lethargic and unfocused for much of the time. The team’s recently precise offense was off a beat. The Cougars were finding it hard to score and failed to capitalize on a 12-3 foul differential in the first half. Cannon would uncharacteristically miss 12 free throws for the contest. The good news was the team came alive in the fourth quarter. The game was tied at 32 entering the fourth quarter and Cannon would run out to a quick eight point advantage. The Cougar’s charge was spear-headed by a pair of Trevor McWilliams three-pointers. With 3.8 seconds remaining, the Warriors would get the ball and have a chance to tie or win the game down by only two. Metrolina Christian somehow found their number one guy, Calvin Davis, on the sideline and Davis’s runner bounded off the rim as the clock hit zeroes. In the end, Cannon had survived an ugly affair, 50-48 to register the team’s third win in four games. Alec Wintering would finish with 20 points and 6 assists. Will Nork chipped in 9 points and 10 rebounds. Trevor McWilliams would score 8 points, Hans Christian Lauer 6, Lino Atmowihardjo 4 and Stewart Brown 3.